So as this olelongrooffan has mentioned a couple times previously, this past weekend was the 51st running of the Rolex24 at Daytona. As always, it was a blast to attend and I am grateful to a bunch of generous friends who provided me a comp ticket to it as well as a coworker who let me photocopy his admission to the infield parking decal for my olebeaterpickemup truck. Hell…this olelongrooffan should probably just shut up and head off to Lap One of the Garage area of the 2013 Rolex24 at Daytona before TheK gets all pissed off at me for not posting a car in the first image…

Audi was well represented this year with at least four R8’s running in the 24, more about those later, as well as providing the pace cars for this event. Just inside the garage area from TheFanZone a few of those Audi pace cars were parked.

I would have gathered some more information about these particular cars but new cars aren’t really my balliwick so this olelongrooffan figured I’d let my fellow Hoons contributors talk about them and just head on off to the yellow garage area to see what could be seen.

As usual, the Chip Ganassi/Felix Sabate 01 and 02 cars occupied the first two garage stalls. These guys always seem to have these bays no matter what the event or what position they finished in the previous season. Not that it really matters in the long haul but I find that fact interesting.

Just down the garage lane a piece was the Spirit of Daytona entry. It seemed like a bunch of the Daytona Prototypes were having gear box problems this Rolex weekend and this Corvette was no different. They had pulled this one just after the morning practice and replaced it with a spare they had brought along just for that reason.

Over in the Team Sahlen prototype garage area one of the wrenches was doing some custom body work to the nose of one of their BMW/Riley prototypes. This is the first year they are racing DP’s after experiencing great success with their Porsche Madza entries over the past few years. (thanks Bradley) Incidentally, Team Sahlen purchased Action Express Racing’s leftover prototypes after Action moved to Corvette Prototypes last season. Yeah, that information and a four bucks will get this olelongrooffan a Diet sodie pop out at the track this weekend. But I still find it fun to know.

This weekend did not turn out well for the Turner Motorsports team. In the Rolex class, the 93 went off and the frame on it was bent so badly that it was out for the weekend. At least the team was able to see the bright side. “At least both teams can concentrate on the 94 car and work together to try and bring it home with a victory,” one member told me.

Not only that, but there were plenty of spares left over should they be needed.

And in a testament to the crash worthiness of that fuel cell encasement, the frame may have gotten bent but that box barely has a dent on it.

And now for something totally different, this is the recycle station for used motor oil as operated by safety-kleen, the ones who sponsor the yellow flag cleanups over in the NASCAR world.

Plus they have this cool little buggy that one team member pushes around to collect oily rags from the various race teams.

This olelongrooffan mentioned Turner had a rough weekend. This is their Continental series M3. Look closely at the floor under the front of it.

That is a heavy film of oil emanating from the blown engine in it. safety-kleen is on their way.

This Canadian based Porsche team was performing some post tech related testing for the Grand Am official standing beside the driver’s door.

And the team members of this Mexican based team were verifying the fuel cell capacity for yet another official.

Sitting desolately over by the fence was this front bumperless Aston Martin being completely ignored by every one around except this olelongrooffan. 

I spotted this bumper from one of its siblings over by the garages but I doubt it is going to be affixed to that bumperless one. It is the wrong color.

And no matter how tough Turner’s weekend was, there are always

the Turner girls to look forward to.

Image Copyright Hooniverse 2013/longrooffan